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WEST JEFFERSON, Ohio — Just don’t do it, the judge told the high-school students. Don’t sign on the dotted line simply to get a free T-shirt. Or a gift card, or an ink pen or anything else a credit-card company might be offering.

This is the third year that Schooley has visited Madison County high schools in the spring to talk to graduating seniors — and in some cases, juniors — about what it means legally to become an adult. He was at West Jefferson High School last week. He’ll also visit Madison-Plains on Wednesday and London in May.

Schooley warns of the dangers of drugs and explains how adult-court penalties differ from juvenile court. He warns that a felony conviction can mean a loss of scholarship or keep landlords from renting to them. And the judge informs them that, in general, it takes less than one beer for someone under 21 to reach the very low threshold of being considered too drunk to drive in Ohio.

Principal Dave Metz told the students to listen.

“Everyone in this room, if you already aren’t 18, will be within the next six months. And Momma isn’t going to be able to fix everything anymore,” Metz said.

Schooley told the students they now have to pay income taxes if they have a job. And as long as they are paying taxes, they should exercise their newly given right to vote so they have a say in how that money is spent.

He told them they can marry without their parents’ consent. “Marriage. Always an exciting prospect,” he deadpanned. The kids seemed to think that was funny.

He homed in on the credit offers. He warned the students that it will seem like a cool way to buy pizza as a poor college student.

“That will have consequences later,” Schooley said. “You’ll get the pizza, but you won’t pay for the pizza and you’ll wreck your credit. Then, you’ll want a place to live and can’t get it because you didn’t pay for the pizza.”

Mostly, the students listened. A girl in the front row thought her split ends were far more interesting, and some snickering in the back stopped only after Metz pulled up his own chair behind the table.

But Paige Fabre, who turned 18 in October and will study biochemistry and pre-medicine at the College of Wooster this fall, said Schooley’s words made a difference.

“He’s a judge, so hearing it from him helps,” she said. “It’s a little scary, realizing all that’s out there in the world.”